1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mounting structure for an outer hook to be provided on a cargo box of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cargo transporting vehicle, such as a truck, is equipped with a cargo box, and cargo loaded on the cargo box is fixed using a rope or the like. Normally, the rope is passed round outer hooks provided at predetermined intervals on a side edge portion of a cargo box floor or the exterior of side panels and a rear gate panel of the cargo box, whereby the cargo is set in place so as not to move on the cargo box. The outer hooks are made of a metallic material or the like, rod-shaped, mounted to protrude downwardly, and fixed by bolts or the like from the outside.
FIGS. 5 and 6 show a conventional outer hook mounting structure for a cargo box. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a side panel 101 of the cargo box has an outer panel 102 and an inner panel 103. A hook bar 104 and outer hooks 105 are mounted on the outer panel 102 by clamping bolts 106. A reinforcement 108 is interposed between the outer panel 102 and the inner panel 103, and is supported on the inner panel 103 by having both end portions joined to the inner panel 103. The clamping bolt 106 is inserted through the outer panel 102 and the reinforcement 108, and is fixed by a nut 107 from inside the reinforcement 108.
The outer hook mounting structure, which has the outer hooks fixed by the bolts from outside the panel, is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-278515.
With the above-described outer hook mounting structure for the cargo box, however, the outer hooks are directly mounted on the outer panel. This has posed the problem that the structure of the reinforcing member (reinforcement) is upsized in order to prevent deformation of the outer panel during assembly and hook usage. Moreover, the structure requires bolting from the outside, causing the problems of a poor appearance and difficulty with rust prevention.
The present invention has been accomplished as a solution to the above problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cargo box outer hook mounting structure having a good appearance and satisfactory in rust prevention.